Prague Sights / Attractions

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St. Giles Church (Kostel Sv Jiljí)

Husova, Praha 1, Staré Mēsto, Metro: Staroměstská
Characterised by its sturdy Romanesque façade and Gothic dimensions, St Giles was founded in the 13th century and then completely remodelled between 1340 and 1370 by Dominican monks. During the 14th century it became the base for the religious reformer Milíc of Kroměříž, while Baroque elements - including a stuccoed interior, ceiling frescoes by V.V. Reiner and an adjoining monastery were added in the mid-18th century. Located near to Bethlehem Chapel on Husova.

St. James Church (Kostel Sv Jakuba)

Malá Štupartská, Praha 1, Staré Mēsto, Metro: Náměstí Republiky, Open: 9.30am-12.30pm, 2.30pm-4pm Mon-Sat
Tucked away in the courtyard behind the Church of Our Lady before Týn (Týnský dvůr), St James's Church is easily overlooked, though visitors who do seek out this 14th century masterpiece are invariably rewarded.

Founded as a Minorite monastery in 1373, the church was remodelled early in the 18th century - adding 21 altars in the process - along with a wonderfully ornate tableau of the tomb of Count Jan Václav Vratislav of Mitrovice. The church's tall, Gothic proportions blend well with its stuccoed entrance, carved figurines and gilt-laden walls, while its first-rate acoustics make regular organ recitals here among the best in Prague.

Elsewhere, a somewhat bizarre and grisly novelty is the time ravaged arm that hangs to the left of the main entrance. Its owner, an unfortunate thief, tried to steal the jewels off the statue of the Virgin Mary, wherein she grabbed the limb in such a tight grip that it had to be cut off (despite pleas to the statue from church officials). Displayed there ever since as a warning to would-be thieves, only the foolhardy would be tempted!

St. Nicholas Church (Kostel Sv Mikuláše)

Malostranské náměstí, Praha 1, Malá Strana, Metro: Malostranská/Tram 12, 22, Open: 9am-4pm daily
Not to be confused with the church standing on the Old Town Square (Staré Město), St Nicholas' of Malá Strana is a truly grandiose affair, not only boasting one the finest cupolas in town, but a lovely façade and lavish, cherub-laden interior.

Indeed, such was the scale of Kristof Dientzenhofer's design that it took over 60 years to build, with his son Kilían Ignaz (along with Anselmo Lurago) having to complete the work. Founded by the Jesuits at the behest of Ferdinand II, the building - which became the parish church for the area in 1814 - also features a slender bell-tower which, because of a financial crisis, was only added 40 years after St. Nicholas' nave had been finished.

The church's interior, justly regarded as the very pinnacle of Baroque flamboyancy in Prague, makes all but a few of the city's other fine 18th century buildings look dull by comparison. The structure, which boasts an extravagant trompe l'oeil ceiling fresco by Austrian Johann Lukas Kracker, is topped only by the main dome - a truly awesome spectacle that incorporates a painting by Franz Xavier Palka, the Celebration of the Holiest Trinity (1753).

Elsewhere, frescoes depict the life of St Nicholas (Nikulas) who, as the bearer of gifts to women and children is commemorated on 6th of December each year, with his gold statue also decorating the high altar.

St. Vitus's Cathedral (Katedralá sv. Vita)

Pražský Hrad, Praha 1, Hradčany, Tel: +420 224 371 111, Website: www.hrad.cz, Metro: Hradčanská, Tram 8, 18, 25, 26, Open: 1 Apr-31 Oct 9am-5pm Mon-Sun, 1 Nov-31 Mar 9am-4pm (may be limited while services take place). Tower open Apr-Oct (closed during severe weather), Free with Matilda card
This splendid cathedral, which towers above the third courtyard of Prague Castle is actually the largest holy site in the city. Gothic in style, the structure was built over the site of an earlier basilica, with construction beginning in 1344 during the reign of Charles VI. Richly decorated both inside and out, the cathedral's most prominent feature is the 96m-high Great Tower. Topped by a baroque three-tiered dome that holds the largest bell in Bohemia - Sigismund, the Tower's 297 steps (open to the public) provide for excellent views of the city during the summer, while to the right, the South Porch, or Golden Portal, incorporates a richly decorated mosaic of Venetian glass depicting the Last Judgment (circa 1380).

Entering through a portal on the cathedral's western side, the sheer size of the main knave with its high arched ceiling provides visitors with an awe-inspiring spectacle. Along with the fine wooden carvings and biblical frescoes of individual side chapels, of particular note is the vaulted choir (from where you can descend down a steep staircase into the Royal Crypt) and the richly decorated Chapel of St. Wenceslas - a focal point for the entire building that houses the tomb of the nation's most revered patron saint.

Elsewhere, at the very heart of the cathedral lies the Royal Mausoleum - a white marble structure to commemorate the Czech Kings including Emperor Ferdinand I, Maximilan II, Charles IV and George Poděbrady. Also worth seeking out is the Crown Chamber, which houses the Bohemian coronation jewels and the silver tombstone of St. John of Nepomuk - the Vicar General of Bohemia who was drowned in the Moldau at the behest of King Wenceslas IV.

Šchwarzenberg Palace (Šchwarzenberský Palác)

Hradčanské náměsti 2, Praha 1, Hradčany, Tel: +420 220 202 020, Website: www.militarymuseum.cz, Metro: Hradčanská, Tram 22, Open: 1 May-31 Oct 10am-5.30pm, Tue-Sun, closed Monday, Free with Matilda card
As one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Prague, the Schwarzenberg Palace today displays a permanent exhibition portraying the military history of Bohemia and Moravia until the end of the First World War (see also museums). The beautiful sgraffito illustrations that adorn the façade of the building are matched only the impressive rococo Archbishop's Palace opposite. Painstakingly restored during the 1950s, the Šchwarzenburg's interior was also given a much needed makeover during 2001.

State Opera House (Státní Opera)

Wilsonova 4, Praha 1, Nové Mēsto, Tel: +420 224 227 266, Website: www.opera.cz, E-Mail: obchod@opera.cz, Metro: Muzeum
Just along from the National Museum, Prague's opera house was originally built to be a German theatre, having first opened its doors to the public in 1888. For almost 50 years it put on German language shows, including productions by the likes of R. Strauss, Mahler, Seidl and Klemperer. Sold to the State in 1938, the outbreak of hostilities in Europe meant that few concerts were staged during WWII, while liberation in Prague saw the building renamed as the 'May 5th Theatre'.

In the recent past (1992), it formally became the State Opera House, adopting a wide-ranging repertoire that includes Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Dukas and J. Strauss. Richly decorated in a neo-rococo style, it certainly makes for a grand, historic venue (and, as you'd expect of a State opera, one that's affordable for the masses too).